


Death by Pizzazz

by ElCapitan18



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age: Origins
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-12
Updated: 2016-02-12
Packaged: 2018-05-19 21:08:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,110
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5980930
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ElCapitan18/pseuds/ElCapitan18
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>As new as Serai Mahariel is to leading her small band of misfits, Alistair would really appreciate some warning the next time she pulls a distraction out of her ass.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Death by Pizzazz

“You’re a Grey Warden?” Serai whipped around, turning on him with a glare so deadly Alistair thought that he might die on the spot. Her black brows were kitted together deeply with disgust and disappointment. Her mouth was twisted with outrage. The tiny woman had a fearsome mien about her that made him want to take several steps back. 

He held her golden eyes in confusion. Looking past her shoulder at the soldiers now equally confused by the elf’s questionable alliances, Alistair’s mouth fell open as he tried to understand what was happening. “I- uh…” he blinked and his attention was back on Serai, desperately searching her face for a hint as to what was happening.

If he hadn’t been looking into her gorgeous golden eyes he would have missed how they widened a bit, prompting him to play along. Serai unsheathed her daggers and pointed one at Alistair’s throat. Eyes narrowed with spite, her voice was hard when she barked, “You said that you were just a wayward soldier. And I believed you, you _liar!_ ”

With her dagger still aimed at Alistair’s neck, Serai turned around to face the soldiers standing behind her. Gesturing to Alistair, she exclaimed, “He _lied_ to me.”

Alistair’s gaze moved back to Loghain’s men staring at them in confusion before he dipped his head and fought a smirk from his lips. He hadn’t the slightest idea as to what Serai was playing at, but he would play along if it meant that they got out of this with their lives. Her furious gaze moved back onto him and, wordlessly, she commanded him to say something.

Straightening his shoulders, Alistair frowned at the elf woman and replied, “I _am_ a soldier, how is it my fault that you’re a fool?” He cringed inside when Serai’s jaw dropped at his insult. He might have gone a little to far with that one. Andraste’s smalls, she should have given him some more warning. He could have come up with something better than that.

“A fool?” Serai returned, outraged and insulted. Her full lips pulled back into a sneer and she shook her head. “Just like a Grey Warden, to shift blame when it’s most convenient to you.”

He pulled out his sword and held it loosely at his side. Forcing himself to glare at Serai he bit out, “You dare question my honor?”

When she shook her head, Serai stated, “That would imply that I thought you had any.”

 _Ouch._ Alistair hoped that the smile that was starting to form on his lips appeared more demeaning in nature than amused. If he gave them away now Serai would probably slice him with one of those daggers. He lifted his sword and it rang as it slid down the length of her shortened blade.

They started to circle each other, Loghain’s soldiers and the inn’s patrons were watching in entranced uncertainty as the two of them tapped their weapons against the other’s as though testing their resolve. “I’m not the one traveling with a wanted man.”

“Turn yourself in to these soldiers, Warden,” she demanded. “Or you’ll have to deal with me.”

Alistair laughed heartily at her threat, hoping that it would invoke her irritation. He did not know Serai Mahariel very well, but he did know that her temper was shorter than her patience and if they were going to pretend fight they needed to make it believable. “Is that supposed to scare me? If you can’t tell, I’m trembling under all of this armor.”

With a roar, Serai threw herself at Alistair and it was the only warning he received to lift his sword to meet her daggers before they cut him to ribbons. He parried her attack and followed her as she twirled to stab her dagger into his side. Catching her dagger with his sword, Alistair’s free hand captured her wrist before she could retaliate with the other. 

Serai lifted her leg to his chest and kicked herself out of his reach. With a surprised _oomph,_ Alistair was shoved back two steps. He quickly pulled his shield around with just enough time to brace himself against Serai’s attack. Her daggers slashed across his shield in succession, each blow more powerful than the last, and Alistair was starting to pity the Darkspawn and idiots that found themselves on the sharp end of her blades. She fought like she had a death wish, but it wasn’t _her_ death she was after.

Using his shield as a wall, Alistair pushed back against Serai only for her to twirl to his left. There was a laugh in her voice when she taunted him. “You fight like a girl.”

Alistair struggled not to laugh. Had she really just said that? “You _are_ a girl, that’s a compliment!” Their blades rang as his sword met her dagger and he twisted it away from reaching his face. 

She was dancing around him, a flurry of strikes that he was having a difficult time keeping up with. Alistair hoped he never had her blades turned against him in a real fight. He highly doubted that he would be able to hold up against her speed and precision and come out unscathed. 

When he pushed her back with his shield, Serai stayed away with her blade lifted toward his face. With an arched eyebrow blacker than a starless night, she wondered, “Any last words before I send you with these men, Warden?”

Serai was standing in front of Loghain’s soldiers. The men behind her were watching the unfolding drama with wide eyed confusion. They couldn’t see her face as she smirked at Alistair, they didn’t notice the nod that she gave to Morrigan, the soldiers hadn’t the slightest idea that they had just been distracted into helplessness. Alistair couldn’t help his grin. Serai played them like a lout. Who knew the Dalish could be so resourceful?

He answered Serai’s question with a booming, “For the Wardens!” and charged down Loghain’s men. Serai twisted out of his way before joining the fray. Behind them, Morigan attacked any man who dared to come at her with her staff, discretely working her magic into the fight. 

With the help of a Chantry sister, they made quick work of Loghain’s men. As Alistair pulled his blade out of the soldier’s chest, he knew beyond a shadow of doubt that he had made the right call by following the elf woman’s lead. She knew how to read a situation better than he ever would. Hopefully it would help them utilize the Grey Warden treaties. If anything they’d slay the arch demon with their pizzazz; it will be legendary.


End file.
